From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Concerned elders and youths of Ekiugbo community in Uhumwonde Local Government Area of Edo State have appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, to ensure that justice is served in the case of the alleged murder of their son, Ikpomwonsa Omoruyi.
They said despite having filed a petition to the IGP for immediate action, they are being frustrated by the way and manner the Legal Section for the Force is handling the matter, raising suspicion of compromise with the suspect, Justin Omoruyi, now being held by Special Weapon and Tactics, (SWAT) team of the police in Abuja.
They said that the legal section is yet to charge the matter to court for prosecution despite the conclusion of an investigation.
The suspect was alleged to have committed the offence in the company of other suspects now at large in the agrarian community of Ekiugbo, raising fear of the breakdown of law and order in the area.
Following the incident, members of the community had asked the state Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, to call to order his Senior Security Aide, Mr Haruna Yusuf, who was accused of shielding the suspects through the state local vigilante service under his control.
Yusuf denied any involvement in the incident, adding that he learnt that the shootout was caused by an APC chieftain that mobilised some fake vigilantes to the community.
‘I am too busy to have time for all that rubbish. The police in Edo and Abuja are handling the matter so anyone making any allegation is just wasting his time”, he added.
The community’s lawyer, Mr Douglas Ogbankwa, had in a petition to the Edo State Commissioner of Police and Inspector General of Police entitled “Petition of Murder, Attempted Murder, Waging Communal War, Illegal Possession of Firearms, Cultism, Violence and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace”, urged the police authority to bring the alleged culprit to book and protect the legal rights and safety of the inhabitants of Ekiugbo community.